The Union Square Cafe Cookbook: 160 Favorite Recipes from New York's Acclaimed Restaurant - Hardcover

Meyer, Danny; Romano, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060170131 ISBN 13: 9780060170134

Publisher: Ecco, 1900

Synopsis

Union Square Cafe serves some of the most imaginative, interesting, and tasty food in America. The restaurant and its owners, Danny Meyer and chef Michael Romano, have been lauded for their outstanding food and superb service by Gourmet, Food & Wine, the New York Times, and the James Beard Foundation. Now its devoted fans from down the block and across the globe can savor the restaurant's marvelous dishes, trademark hospitality, and warm decor at home.

Offered are recipes for 160 of Union Square Cafe's classic dishes, from appetizers, soups, and sandwiches to main courses, vegetables, and desserts. Hot Garlic Potato Chips, Porcini Gnocchi with Prosciutto and Parmigiano Cream, Grilled Marinated Fillet Mignon of Tuna, Herb-Roasted Chicken, Eggplant Mashed Potatoes, and Baked Banana Tart with Caramel and Macadamia Nuts are some of the all-time favorites included in this long-awaited collection.

Union Square's recipes are easily mastered by home cooks. They call for ingredients that are widely available (mail-order sources are listed for those few that are not), employ familiar techniques, and take a reasonable amount of time to complete. Amateurs and pros alike will find the dishes here as accessible as they are irresistible.

Beyond just providing recipes, The Union Square Cafe Cookbook inspires confidence in home cooks by sharing Michael Romano's tips for success. Readers learn that soaking baby onions in warm water makes them easier to peel (in the recipe for Sweet Peas with Escarole, Onions, and Mint); that the Corn and Tomatillo Salsa served with Polenta-Crusted Sea Bass also goes well with barbecued chicken or pork; that leftover Sautéed Spinach with Garlic makes a great sandwich filling; and that yesterday's sourdough bread should be kept for such soups and salads as Ribollita and Sourdough Panzanella. Danny Meyer's wine suggestions, inspired by the restaurant's remarkable cellar, accompany almost every recipe.

The Union Square Cafe Cookbook does the rare job of capturing the bustling energy and ebullient enthusiasm of the restaurant itself and the spirited personalities—those of Danny and Michael—that drive it. Folks will still go out of their way to eat at Union Square Cafe, but this cookbook—filled with the restaurant's vitality, warm artwork, and tempting recipes—ensures that its pleasures are as close as your bookshelf.

About this title

About the Author

Danny Meyer, a native of St. Louis, opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, in 1985 when he was twenty-seven, and went on to found the Union Square Hospitality Group, which includes some of New York City's most acclaimed restaurants: Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Maialino, North End Grill, Blue Smoke, and Shake Shack, as well as Jazz Standard, Union Square Events, and Hospitality Quotient. Danny, his restaurants, and his chefs have earned an unprecedented twenty-five James Beard Awards. Danny's groundbreaking business book, Setting the Table, was a New York Times bestseller, and he has coauthored two cookbooks with his business partner, Chef Michael Romano. Danny lives in New York with his wife and children.

Michael Romano joined Union Square Cafe in 1988, preparing his unique style of American cuisine with an Italian soul. In 1993, Michael became Danny Meyer's partner. Under Michael's leadership, Union Square Cafe has been ranked Most Popular in New York City Zagat surveys for a record seven years. The restaurant also received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant of the Year. Michael has coauthored two cookbooks with Danny Meyer, The Union Square Cafe Cookbook and Second Helpings. He is the recipient of numerous nominations and awards, including the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef in New York City in 2001, and in 2000, he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.

Reviews

Owner and executive chef, respectively, of Manhattan's lauded Union Square Cafe, founded in 1985, Meyer and Romano here open the kitchen door to readers curious about what goes into the restaurant's mingling of French, Italian and other cuisines. Their pumpkin flan, for example, is accompanied by whipped cream flavored with cinnamon; their bread salad can serve as a meal, a side or stuffing for roast meats. The book addresses appetizers, sandwiches, desserts, main courses, vegetables; a chapter called "Pantry Staples" gives recipes for stocks, sauces, mayonnaise and more. Especially impressive are their soft-shell crabs with carrot sauce; charred tomatoes, onions and mint; and mocha semifreddo with hazelnut dacquoise. Photos. 50,000 first printing; author tour; Homestyle Book Club main selection.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Nutrition experts warn against food shopping when hungry. Similar advice might be given to reader-chefs browsing through the 160 recipes from Manhattan's Union Square Cafe--in other words, don't peruse it on an empty stomach. The mix of Mediterranean cuisines, with occasional Asian overtones, yields pleasant surprises, such as fried calamari with spicy anchovy mayonnaise, creamless mushroom soup, and sizzled soft-shell crabs with spicy carrot sauce. A hospitable spirit pervades this collection, accompanied by wine recommendations; many recipes, however, need the deft touch of an experienced cook. Barbara Jacobs

Meyer is the owner of the Union Square Cafe, a three-star New York City restaurant, and Romano has been chef there since 1988. Here they present the recipes for their most-loved dishes, some of which have been on the menu since the first day, along with chatty headnotes and wine suggestions from their well-known list. The style could be called Italian-inspired new American: Ratatouille-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms and Hot Garlic Potato Chips are among the appetizers; entries range from Orange-Fennel Osso Buco to Peppered Rack of Venison with Dried Cherry Sauce. Some recipes are quite simple and suitable for a home kitchen, while others would be better enjoyed at the restaurant. Union Square Cafe is popular beyond New York City, and its cookbook is likely to be too. [HomeStyle Bks. main selection.]
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ecco
• Publication date: 1900
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0060170131
• ISBN 13: 9780060170134
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352